Biochemical Engineering Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Biochemical Engineering maps to BLS occupations averaging about $116,052, with roughly 20,710 workers nationwide in those roles. Median program completion runs near 57%; median in-state published tuition is about $15,465.
Key Statistics
Biochemical Engineering: what the data shows
Common questions about biochemical engineering degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a biochemical engineering degree?
A Biochemical Engineering program is classified under NCES CIP 00.1443 in the 00.0014 field family (00.14).
IPEDS counted 126 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of biochemical engineering degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 00.14 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (CIP 00.1402)
- Agricultural Engineering (CIP 00.1403)
- Architectural Engineering (CIP 00.1404)
- Biological/Biosystems Engineering (CIP 00.1445)
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering (CIP 00.1405)
- Ceramic Sciences and Engineering (CIP 00.1406)
- Computer Engineering (CIP 00.1409)
- Construction Engineering (CIP 00.1433)
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (CIP 00.1447)
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (CIP 00.1410)
- Electromechanical Engineering (CIP 00.1441)
- Energy Systems Engineering (CIP 00.1448)
- Engineering Chemistry (CIP 00.1444)
- Engineering Mechanics (CIP 00.1411)
- Engineering Physics (CIP 00.1412)
- Engineering Science (CIP 00.1413)
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (CIP 00.1414)
- Forest Engineering (CIP 00.1434)
- Geological/Geophysical Engineering (CIP 00.1439)
- Industrial Engineering (CIP 00.1435)
- Manufacturing Engineering (CIP 00.1436)
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering (CIP 00.1442)
- Metallurgical Engineering (CIP 00.1420)
- Mining and Mineral Engineering (CIP 00.1421)
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (CIP 00.1422)
- Nuclear Engineering (CIP 00.1423)
- Ocean Engineering (CIP 00.1424)
- Operations Research (CIP 00.1437)
- Paper Science and Engineering (CIP 00.1440)
- Petroleum Engineering (CIP 00.1425)
- Polymer/Plastics Engineering (CIP 00.1432)
- Surveying Engineering (CIP 00.1438)
- Systems Engineering (CIP 00.1427)
- Textile Sciences and Engineering (CIP 00.1428)
What do you learn in biochemical engineering?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Active Learning, Speaking, Science, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What degree do you need?
For Soil and Plant Scientists (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a biochemical engineering degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Biochemical Engineering to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 16,600 | $71,410 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | 34,520 | $103,650 |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 31,510 | $41,600 |
| Physicists | 21,340 | $166,290 |
| Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | 1,100 | $58,540 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | 23,220 | $109,660 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a biochemical engineering degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $15,465 and median net price is $15,738.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Biochemical Engineering and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$15,465 Median In-State Public
$51,000 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Biochemical Engineering majors are, on average, $15,465 for in-state public colleges, and $51,000 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Biochemical Engineering programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
126 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Biochemical Engineering from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Biochemical Engineering.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | 33,073 |
| 2 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | 31,578 |
| 3 | University of Georgia | GA | 31,310 |
| 4 | University of Delaware | DE | 18,812 |
| 5 | Community College of Rhode Island | RI | 11,455 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Biochemical Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community College of Rhode Island | RI | $5,326 |
| 2 | University of Georgia | GA | $11,180 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $14,850 |
| 4 | University of Delaware | DE | $16,080 |
| 5 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | $16,430 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Biochemical Engineering programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community College of Rhode Island | RI | $5,240 |
| 2 | Christian Brothers University | TN | $10,896 |
| 3 | University of Georgia | GA | $13,816 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $14,979 |
| 5 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | NJ | $16,496 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Biochemical Engineering programs.
Graduation Rates
56.95% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.64% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.28% - 72.24% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Biochemical Engineering programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 00.14 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering CIP 00.1402
- Agricultural Engineering CIP 00.1403
- Architectural Engineering CIP 00.1404
- Biological/Biosystems Engineering CIP 00.1445
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering CIP 00.1405
- Ceramic Sciences and Engineering CIP 00.1406
- Computer Engineering CIP 00.1409
- Construction Engineering CIP 00.1433
- Electrical and Computer Engineering CIP 00.1447
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering CIP 00.1410
- Electromechanical Engineering CIP 00.1441
- Energy Systems Engineering CIP 00.1448
- Engineering Chemistry CIP 00.1444
- Engineering Mechanics CIP 00.1411
- Engineering Physics CIP 00.1412
- Engineering Science CIP 00.1413
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering CIP 00.1414
- Forest Engineering CIP 00.1434
- Geological/Geophysical Engineering CIP 00.1439
- Industrial Engineering CIP 00.1435
- Manufacturing Engineering CIP 00.1436
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering CIP 00.1442
- Metallurgical Engineering CIP 00.1420
- Mining and Mineral Engineering CIP 00.1421
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering CIP 00.1422
- Nuclear Engineering CIP 00.1423
- Ocean Engineering CIP 00.1424
- Operations Research CIP 00.1437
- Paper Science and Engineering CIP 00.1440
- Petroleum Engineering CIP 00.1425
- Polymer/Plastics Engineering CIP 00.1432
- Surveying Engineering CIP 00.1438
- Systems Engineering CIP 00.1427
- Textile Sciences and Engineering CIP 00.1428
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $116,052. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Biochemical Engineering graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $94,151 | 16,600 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $133,564 | 34,520 |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,139 | 31,510 |
| Physicists | $192,822 | 21,340 |
| Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | — | 1,100 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $127,278 | 23,220 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$124,177 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Biochemical Engineering majors is $124,177.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Biochemical Engineering majors.
Occupations by Share
20,710 2023 Workforce
The number of Biochemical Engineering graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Biochemical Engineering by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Biochemical Engineering in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Biochemical Engineering.
Age distribution for Biochemical Engineering degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Biochemical Engineering degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Biochemical Engineering degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Biochemical Engineering are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Biochemical Engineering.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Biochemical Engineering field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Biochemical Engineering majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Biochemical Engineering majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Biochemical Engineering majors.
About
Biochemical Engineering
In 2023, 126 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Biochemical Engineering.
CIP Code
00.1443 - Biochemical Engineering
What the data shows
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $116,052. The largest mapped role by headcount is Soil and Plant Scientists (16,600 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $15,465 in-state at public colleges and $51,000 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.